To Mend A Broken Heart
by alinaandalion
Summary: He lost everything in one day, and he never imagined that he could hope to move on, especially with a woman he had left behind.
1. Chapter 1

Fiyero grinned as he balled up a handful of snow; Elphaba had disappeared behind some trees, so he kept glancing over his shoulder in order to make sure that she didn't sneak up on him. He packed the snow tightly and snuck off behind a nearby house. She would surely be making a move soon.

He heard a twig snap behind him, and he whipped around, launching the snowball in the general direction of the sound.

"Damn," Elphaba muttered, looking down at the snow clinging to her chest. "That was a direct hit."

"I got you!" Fiyero yelled triumphantly, punching a fist into the air.

"That makes the score fifty to one," she replied dryly, brushing the powder off her dress. "I'm surprised that you're not better at this, dear, considering how long you were a member of the Gale Force."

"Well, I'm a little out of practice," he said defensively as he edged his way towards her, the fight forgotten. "And, besides, I was the Captain of the Gale Force. I had other people to do menial work like handling weapons for me."

"Oh," she said, feigning disappointment. "I had rather liked the idea of you firing a big gun."

He grinned and said, "If I had known that you liked guns, I would have kept mine."

"Come here," she muttered, smirking as he nearly stumbled in his haste to cross the few feet that separated them.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and dropped a kiss on her nose as he said, "Marry me?"

"You ask me this at least once a week," she said with a sigh. "My answer hasn't changed."

"Really?" he murmured, kissing her neck gently.

"No," she said softly as she pulled him a little closer. "My answer is still 'yes'."

"Good," he growled, claiming her lips in a passionate kiss.

Fiyero glanced up from his bowl of soup as Elphaba staggered into the kitchen.

"Good morning," he said cheerfully, standing up to give her a kiss.

She turned away, coughing, and croaked, "How late is it?"

"It's about noon," he replied as he looked down at her in concern. "When did you get into bed?"

She shrugged and sank into the nearest chair at the table, "I don't really remember. You were already asleep."

As she started coughing again, he said, "Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine," she managed to choke out as another coughing fit swept over her.

He frowned and laid a hand on her forehead, saying, "Fae, you're running a fever. You really should go back to bed."

"I've got too much work to do," she said, shaking her head. "I'll be fine."

"I'm serious," he said insistently. "I'm going to go and get the doctor. You had better be in bed before I get back."

"Fine," she mumbled, groaning as she pushed herself out of the chair and wandered back to their bedroom.

He was really worried by that; she never allowed him to coddle her, and if he ever attempted to force her into bed instead of doing her work, she normally yelled at him. Shaking his head, he bolted for the door and hurried down the short street in search of the Dog who served as the village's doctor.

"I need to see the doctor," Fiyero called loudly as he pounded on a door.

The door swung open a few moments later, and the doctor poked his head out, smiling when he saw Fiyero.

"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, opening the door a little wider. "What do you need?'

"Elphaba's sick, Lucien," Fiyero said hurriedly. "She's running a fever and coughing a lot. I need you to come see her."

"Let me get my bag," Lucien replied, ducking back into the house. He re-emerged with a small black bag in his paws and nodded to Fiyero as they headed back up the street, "What kind of cough was it?"

"It was deep in her chest and raspy," Fiyero said as he tried to remember every detail. "How bad do you think it is?"

"I won't know until I examine her," Lucien said with a shake of his head as Fiyero led him into the house and back to the bedroom. When he saw Elphaba lying in bed, he smiled as he greeted her, "Good afternoon, Elphaba. Fiyero tells me that you have fallen ill."

"I really don't need a doctor," Elphaba said as she sat up. "It's just a bad cold. I'll be over it in a couple of days."

"Well, I would still like to make sure that it's nothing serious," Lucien said calmly, pulling out his stethoscope. "Fiyero, will you help her unbutton the back of her dress?"

Fiyero quickly moved to Elphaba's side, fumbling with the buttons on her dress until he managed to unfasten a few.

"That's good," Lucien said as he walked over and placed the stethoscope on Elphaba's back. "I need a deep breath, Elphaba."

She complied, and Lucien narrowed his eyes as he listened intently.

"And, another," he instructed, moving the cool instrument to a different place on her back. He waited for a few more moments before removing the stethoscope and pulling out a flat stick. "Open up and say 'Ah'."

Elphaba opened her mouth grudgingly and nearly gagged when he pushed the stick down on her tongue. Lucien smiled apologetically and removed the stick when he had finished his inspection. Then, he pulled out a thermometer and held it out to Elphaba, who took it in her mouth.

"What do you think it is?" Fiyero asked anxiously as Lucien took a step back.

"Just a little longer, and I'll be able to give you a diagnosis," Lucien answered, taking the thermometer from Elphaba's mouth. He placed it back in his bag and closed it as he sighed, "I'm afraid she has pneumonia."

Elphaba hissed and closed her eyes as Fiyero looked from her to Lucien.

"But, what does that mean?" Fiyero pressed.

"I don't have the proper medication to treat her," Lucien said as he looked away. "We'll have to hope for the best."

"Why can't you just get some medicine?" Fiyero asked angrily.

"It's not that simple," Lucien explained. "Animals don't get pneumonia. This is an Animal village. If I ask for the medication that is necessary for such treatment, someone's suspicions would be aroused, and they would come looking for answers. In other words, the relative safety you both have enjoyed because we are on the borders of Oz will come to a swift end."

"So, we're just going to let her die?" Fiyero yelled, gripping his legs tightly to keep from hitting something.

"We wouldn't stand a chance if we tried to get the medicine," Elphaba said quietly. "Lucien didn't say that I couldn't survive this. It's just that my chances are much lower than they would be if we did have the medicine."

Fiyero shook his head, "But, Fae, I can't just…"

"I'm going to be fine, Yero," she murmured, holding her hand out to him.

"She's going to need your help, Fiyero," Lucien said as he picked up his bag. "She needs lots of fluids and you're going to need to keep her warm. I'll be back twice every day to check on her, and you know that you can come and get me at any time if you have an emergency."

"Thank you," Fiyero said, watching as Lucien left the room. He turned to look at Elphaba and said, "I'm going to take care of you, Fae. I promise, I'm going to make sure we get through this."

She smiled, letting her fingers trace over his hand as she whispered, "Yero, my hero."

Placing a kettle full of water on the small stove, Fiyero sighed as he listened to Elphaba's hacking cough. She had been on bedrest for two weeks and still had not gotten better. He was afraid that she was only getting worse, but he was doing everything he could. He shook his head and left the water to boil as he wandered into their bedroom.

"How are you feeling?" he asked cheerfully, taking her hand as he sat down on the bed.

"I'm tired and cold," she replied quietly.

He adjusted the blankets on the bed and said, "Well, do you want another blanket?"

"No, it's just a chill," she said as she shook her head. She bit her lip and said softly, "Yero, I don't think I'm going to make it through this."

"What do you mean?" he whispered, tightening his grip on her slender fingers.

"It's just…I'm not getting any better. And, it's no one's fault. You've been doing all that you can, but I don't think my body is strong enough to fight this off," she explained. When he looked away in order to hide his tears, she continued, "I know I should try to think positively, but I can't allow myself to die without making sure that you're going to be okay. Yero, you have to promise me that you won't waste your whole life because I'm dead."

"You're not going to die," he said angrily, pulling her up into his arms and burying his face into her hair. "We're going to be fine."

"Promise me," she murmured as she laced her fingers in his hair. "Please."

He took a shuddering breath and met her gaze, "I promise."

She gave him a small smile, and as the tears started to fall down her cheeks, he wiped them away and kissed her forehead gingerly, blinking back the moisture gathering in his eyes.

He traced patterns in the dirt, ignoring the Animals that inhabited the village as they walked away. The ground was still hard with frost, but the snow had finally melted away, and spring was fast arriving. They were supposed to get married in the spring because it was her favorite time of the year. Closing his eyes, he focused on simpler things. It looked like it might rain; they had played in the rain the night after she had made him human again. He gritted his teeth and forced back the lump in his throat.

"She's gone," he reminded himself in a fierce whisper.

His gaze landed on the fresh mound of dirt in front of him, and he suddenly had an urge to follow after her in any way possible. But, he had promised her, and even though he knew that it wasn't fair for her to have asked that of him and that she couldn't stop him now, he had to keep his promise because it was all he had left of her.


	2. Chapter 2

Glinda studied the boring document in front of her and sighed as she glanced out the window. Spring had arrived early, and she would much rather be out in the blooming gardens than in her office handling the new bill that she had drawn up with her advisors. Giving the Animals their rights had started out as a slow process, but now that two years had passed since the Wizard had abdicated, she was able to move more quickly without offending the rest of the populace. One thing that did bother her was that a lot of Animals were already settled on the outskirts of Oz and were not interested in assimilating back into the country. Biting her lip, she focused on one clause that had been giving her trouble, glancing up when she heard a knock on her door.

Eager for the distraction, she hurried over to the door and opened it, saying, "What do you need?"

A guard held out a small piece of paper and said, "There is a visitor from the Vinkus here, my lady. He refuses to go away, and he has a letter from the king that says he has been sent as an ambassador."

"Send him in," Glinda sighed, disappointed that she would be saddled with a diplomat on top of the work she still had to do.

The guard nodded his head curtly and left for the chamber she had set aside for her visitors as she straightened the stacks of papers on her desk and moved to the other half of the room where she had arranged a few couches and chairs in order to entertain important guests. A tall man appeared in the doorway, his appearance a little bedraggled for an ambassador from the Vinkus.

Smiling, she held out her hand and said, "Welcome to the Emerald City, sir. I hope you had a pleasant journey."

He took her hand and brushed his lips over it as he glanced back at the door, "I don't mean to sound too forward, my lady, but I was hoping that we might close the door in order to have some privacy."

Her smile wavered for a moment as she considered his request before simply agreeing with a nod of her head. He didn't smile in return, but he quickly closed the door and turned the lock as she watched with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. He seemed so familiar, though it was hard for her to remember if she had met him before because he seemed determined to avoid eye contact.

"Would you care to take a seat?" she asked lightly as she glided to a couch and perched on the edge, arranging her skirt around her legs.

He chose the chair closest to him and said gruffly, "I'm not really sure how to say this, so I think I'll just tell you right now. Glinda, I've been lying to you for the past two years."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know how that is possible since I'm sure I've never met you before," Glinda replied politely, her smile disappearing.

"You know me better than you think you do," he said bitterly as he raised his head and met her gaze. She gasped at the sight of his piercing blue eyes, and he continued, "I might as well explain this all at once. Yes, I am Fiyero. I've been in hiding with Elphaba for the past two years, but she…she died a few months ago. I came back here because I don't know of anyone else who would understand, and I felt that you deserved to know what had really happened to us."

Glinda opened and closed her mouth as she struggled to breathe and figure out something to say at the same time.

"You've been alive all this time?" she asked faintly, the color fading from her face. "And, Elphie? What happened?"

"I…well, this isn't easy," he said in a low voice, ducking his head as he closed his eyes. "She got sick with pneumonia, and because we were afraid that seeking out the medicine would alert the traders who visited the village to our presence, we decided that it would be best to not take the risk and see if she could beat the sickness on her own. However, when we realized that she wasn't getting better, we tried to get the medicine. But, it was too late."

His voice broke off, and Glinda looked down at the floor, feeling that she was intruding on his personal grief with her own emotions.

Clearing his throat, he continued in a thick voice, "I…, I buried her and left, eventually wandering to the Vinkus where my family took me in. They forgave me instantly, but I decided that I should come to see you. I'm sorry, Glinda. I wish I could have done things differently, changed something, somehow."

"I can't believe it," she whispered, shaking her head. "How could you?"

"What?" he asked.

"How could you leave me here to rule Oz by myself while you were off getting your happy ending?" she said angrily, latching onto the emotion in order to keep from crying. "How could you lie to me like that? Do you know how guilty I felt about both of your deaths? Do you know how many nights I cried in my room, alone, because I can't let anyone else know how I really feel?"

"It wasn't fair," he murmured.

"No, it wasn't," she agreed as she stood and walked over to his chair. She slapped him and spat out, "You both abandoned me, and you didn't even have the decency to let me see my one friend before she died. I will never forgive you for that."

He touched his stinging, red cheek gingerly and said, "I'm sorry. We tried to send you a messenger in time, but she died the day after we sent the letter, so I destroyed it after I hunted down the messenger myself."

Tears started to form in Glinda's eyes, and she let them flow unchecked down her cheeks as she told him, "I don't ever want to see you again, Fiyero, so go back to the Vinkus and play the part of the prince."

He bowed his head, and as he started to leave, she turned her back on him, her shoulders shaking with her sobs. He glanced back at her, and when he saw her trembling form, he crossed the room in two strides and pulled her into his arms.

"I hate you," she whispered as she buried her face in his chest and cried.

Tightening his embrace around her, he smiled sadly and said, "I know."


	3. Chapter 3

Fiyero lathered his shaving cream onto his face, grimacing at his reflection. He had been living in the Emerald City for a month, and he had been surprised at how easy it had been for Glinda to convince people that he was not a traitor to Oz. She had managed to make them accept him in the space of one speech, glossing over some of the finer details in order to leave out the nature of his affair with Elphaba. She had made it sound like some great big misunderstanding, which he preferred to pinning his desertion on Elphaba by claiming she had put him under some sort of spell. It had taken him a while to become accustomed to living in the Emerald City again, so he had kept the beard he had been sporting when he first returned to the city; it helped him to blend in a little bit more. However, it bothered him now, so he started to shave it off carefully. As he moved his razor under his chin, his door burst open, and he jerked his hand, nicking the delicate skin.

"Shit," he cursed quietly, stemming the small flow of blood welling to the surface. He glanced at Glinda's reflection in the mirror and said brusquely, "What do you want?"

She winced and said, "I need your help."

"With what?" he asked, continuing his task of shaving.

"Since you're the ambassador for the Vinkus, I thought you might want to know about the diplomat from Munchkinland who is expressing an interest in raising the tax on imports from the Vinkus," she replied. "He's very argumentative, and I thought you might be able to reason with him."

He sighed and rinsed his razor blade as he said, "I told my parents that this would happen. I'll be there in just a minute."

"All right," she said softly. "Do you mind telling me what the problem is?"

"My parents are trying to increase the funds in the royal treasury by raising the taxes on all imports. We import a majority of our goods from Munchkinland, so they're being hit harder than the other provinces," he explained as he splashed some water onto his face and wiped it with a towel.

"So, they're raising taxes on the goods they import from the Vinkus in order to retaliate?" she asked thoughtfully as he crossed the room to rummage through his dresser drawers.

He shrugged as he stripped off his shirt and pulled on another one. Glinda's eyes widened, and she averted her gaze. Fiyero noticed her reddening cheeks and smiled slightly; he had forgotten about his effect on women.

"I, um, need to change my pants," he said as he rubbed his neck.

She blinked and stuttered, "Well, I'll be waiting outside. For you. Take your time."

She turned on her heel and nearly ran out of the room as he chuckled in amusement. When she had closed the door behind her, she leaned against the wall and tried to slow her heartbeat down by breathing slowly and deeply in and out of her nose. She had forgotten how damned attractive he was, and in that moment, she had experienced a surge of desire for him that embarrassed her. He had fallen in love with her best friend and proceeded to run off with her; Glinda had no place in his life anymore except as a friend. She placed her cool palms on her cheeks and closed her eyes.

Fiyero pulled off his pants the second the door closed, feeling slightly guilty. He had been so used to being with Elphaba and simply changing his clothes when he needed to, regardless of her presence in the room, that he hadn't realized he would make Glinda uncomfortable. He wondered for a moment if she still found him as attractive as she had two years ago, then shook his head. He was being egotistical and ridiculous. He smiled bitterly at his reflection as he started to leave the room. Elphaba would have been amused at how much her insistence on using her large vocabulary with him no matter whether he could understand her or not had influenced his word choices.

"Are you ready?" he asked Glinda as he slipped out of his room.

Glinda started at his appearance and said, "Yes. He's waiting for us in my study."

Fiyero walked beside her silently before asking, "Exactly how angry is he?"

"He's mainly been insisting on speaking with you," she replied, allowing her gaze to flicker over his features before focusing her eyes straight ahead. "He didn't seem to think I would be able to handle the problem. It seems that the Wizard didn't get involved in affairs such as these, leaving them all to their own devices. It's made quite a mess now, but I hope that can be fixed. What are you going to tell him?"

"I first want to find out how high their taxes are," he said lightly. "If it's not going to hurt Vinkus merchants too badly, I'll probably allow this to slide. If it is, then I'll see if we can't reach a compromise. There are some goods that we've started to produce in the Vinkus that we used to import from Munchkinland, so we're trying to make it cheaper to buy the products from local merchants rather than the imported goods."

"Who would have thought that the two of us would ever be talking about something like this," Glinda murmured. "I wonder what she would think of all of this."

Fiyero grimaced and said quietly, "I don't know, Glinda."

"Oh, I didn't mean to…I mean…I'm sorry," she finally said, a miserable look on her face. "I guess I'm just used to the idea that she's, well, gone."

He sighed and said, "I understand. Don't apologize. You have every right to talk about her whenever you want, and you shouldn't feel like you can't just because I don't like to."

She bit her lip and paused outside the door to her study, "Well, I guess you should go in. Do you want me to come with you, or do you want to handle this on your own?"

He thought for a moment, noticing the hopeful look in her eyes, and said, "I would like for you to stay. You probably know a little more about this than me, and I think your opinion could be valuable in this discussion."

Smiling gratefully, she pushed the door open, and he followed after her, his hand instinctively moving to rest on her lower back as they walked to greet the ambassador from Munchkinland together.


	4. Chapter 4

He poured a drink of some alcoholic beverage he had unearthed from the kitchen cupboards. He wasn't sure what it was, and he hadn't troubled to find out because he was just looking for something strong enough to chase away the memories that haunted him when he closed his eyes. Tossing the alcohol back, he grunted at the sting and immediately poured another. He had lost count somewhere after five. Maybe it was eight. He wondered if his confusion could mean that he was drunk.

_"It's raining, Yero," she murmured into his ear, pressing her lips against his deliciously soft skin._

_He shifted so he could look up at her and grinned as he said, "And?"_

_"I want to play in it," she replied as her eyes sparkled mischievously._

_"You know, I did just regain my human body," he said slowly, reaching up to run his hands through her silky hair. "We could do other, more productive things."_

_"There will be plenty of time for that later," she said firmly. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him in the direction of the door, "Come on."_

_He relented and followed after her, wincing as the rain drops sprinkled across his face. She laughed, turning her face up to the sky, her mouth open, as the water drenched her dress, making the cloth cling to her body. He grinned at the sight and taking her hand, he whirled her in a circle, catching her up in his arms. _

_She kissed him and whispered, "I love you, Yero."_

_"I love you, my Fae," he breathed, kissing her again._

Shaking his head, Fiyero gulped down another glass and nearly missed the table when he set it down. He felt like he was losing his memories of her, the ones he wanted to keep even as he tried to forget the pain. He fumbled with his glass for a moment as he fixated on the color of her eyes. Hazel, that was the right color. He had thought her hazel eyes only added to her mystery as they darkened to a stormy green with lust or changed to brown when she was sad. He poured some more alcohol into his cup and fingered the rim for a moment before picking it up. As he raised his eyes from the table, his gaze caught onto a pair of green eyes staring at him. Startled, he fumbled with the cup, nearly dropping it.

"Fiyero, what are you doing?" Glinda asked, wrinkling her nose as she looked down at him.

Shrugging his shoulders, he muttered, "Having a drink. What do you want?"

"How many drinks have you had?" Glinda pressed as she sat down at the table and examined the bottle.

"Not sure," he slurred, knocking back what was left in his cup. "Maybe ten."

Her eyes widened, and she looked back at the bottle, saying, "Oz, Fiyero, that stuff is really strong. How are you even conscious right now?"

"Dunno," he replied, picking the bottle up and sloshing some of the amber liquid into his glass. "Want some?"

She hesitated before nodding her head and pulling out a glass from the nearby cabinet, "Yes, please."

He poured her a little and drank his a little more slowly; Glinda gazed down at the alcohol in her glass and then swallowed it all in one gulp, holding out her cup to Fiyero."

"Fill her up," she instructed, gesturing to her glass.

Fiyero gaped at her, "When did you learn to drink like that?"

"I told you, I had a hard time dealing with your fake deaths," she replied bitterly. "That meant a lot of time spent drinking the night away and crying. There is a reason there is an overabundance of alcohol in this palace."

He simply poured her some more, most of the liquid sloshing over the rim and onto her hand. Frowning, Glinda took the bottle out of his hands despite his protests.

"I think we'll waste less if you'll allow me to pour our drinks," she replied firmly. She sipped her beverage as she studied him, finally asking, "Were you thinking about her again?"

He nodded his head miserably and said, "Every night. I can't forget, and I don't want to." He swallowed what was left in his glass and held it out for more. As Glinda refilled his cup, he asked quietly, "Glinda, how long did it take you to move on?"

She paused and fixated on the table, tears burning in the corners of her eyes. Clearing her throat, she said, "I still haven't really moved on. The pain of losing Elphaba has eased, but you…"

"What?" he pressed.

She sighed, "You're still here. I'm still trying to move past the fact that you lied to me for three years about your feelings for me, and you proceeded to deceive me for two more. Do you know how much I wish I could have had even half that time to spend with Elphaba? Can you even understand losing someone that close to you after only having her for such a short period of time?"

"I could try," he replied cautiously. "I mean, I did what I thought was best. You couldn't know…"

"I am so tired of that line you pull out of your ass whenever I bring this up," she snapped, slamming her glass onto the table. "I am a grown woman. Just the knowledge that you two were safe would have been enough to keep me happy. I wouldn't have been left feeling like I was completely lost because I lost my two best friends. And, besides, that doesn't make all the lying you did before you ever left all right."

"We didn't know at the time how you would react," he explained. "I lied to try to make you happy, Glinda. Why can you forgive Elphaba, but you can't forgive me?"

"Because she wasn't the one who betrayed me," Glinda hissed, her eyes bright with anger and tears. "She allowed you to go with her because she loved you, but she didn't ask you to do that. She deserved to be happy, Fiyero. If you came here looking for absolution, you might as well leave because I am not going to give it to you."

Fiyero glared down at the cup clutched in his hand and threw it against the wall. Glinda shrieked with surprise when the glass shattered and fell to the floor as Fiyero stood up, his jaw clenched.

"I may have lied about my feelings for Elphaba, but that doesn't mean I never loved you," he snarled before he stormed out of the kitchen.

Glinda watched him as he left, tears falling down her cheeks. She ignored them and reached for the bottle, allowing the sting of the alcohol to make her forget everything.


	5. Chapter 5

Glinda stormed angrily down the hallway to Fiyero's room, slamming his door open. He groaned at the bang of the door against the wall and buried his head under his pillow.

She grabbed the pillow and threw it across the room, yelling, "What are you still doing in bed? You were supposed to meet with the ambassador from Munchkinland this morning, and because you never showed up, he's refusing to negotiate with the Vinkus anymore!"

"And, what does that have to do with you?" he asked acidly as he glared at her and stretched. "I believe that anything to do with the Vinkus government is my jurisdiction."

"It matters to me when the man is threatening to cut off all political ties with Oz because Munchkinland is tired of being treated as an afterthought," she snapped. "Now, get up and go apologize to him before he leaves the city."

"No, I'm not," he replied, pulling his covers over his head.

Snatching the sheet away from his body, she bellowed, "Why the hell not?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "I spoke with him last night, and he refused to negotiate. He wanted to make a scene about this because he wants Munchkinland to secede from Oz. If you want to fix the problem, contact the governor that you appointed. Use your influence. But, I'll be damned before I pander to the demands of that asshole."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before I got blindsided by a raving politician?" she asked, sinking onto his bed.

"I didn't think it was necessary for you to know," he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "That's all."

"Liar," she hissed as her eyes narrowed.

"What?" he questioned incredulously.

"You've been avoiding me," she said, pointing an accusing finger in his direction. "Ever since that night in the kitchen, you've gone out of your way to keep from talking to me."

"That's not true," he sputtered.

"Then why didn't you warn me about this?" she replied. "Since when has something that will directly impact Oz not been my business? What gives you the right to undermine my authority because you're too busy brooding in your room to give a damn about anything?"

"It's not that big of a deal," he defended himself stubbornly.

"Not that big of a deal?" she repeated, rolling her eyes. "Of course it's a big deal. I might have a revolution on my hands now because the Munchkinland ambassador was publicly snubbed by the Vinkan prince."

"Fine," he muttered as he got out of bed. "I'm leaving."

"Oh, so you're just going to run away?" she asked viciously. "How long will it take your guilty conscience to catch up with you while you're sitting in a bar?"

"No, I'm going back home," he snapped, whirling around to face her. "I can't take this. You refuse to forgive me, and since I'm bad at my job, it only makes sense for me to go home so you won't have to deal with me anymore. I'm sure my parents will send their apologies tomorrow, and after you talk with the governor, everything will be fine."

She watched as he stormed around the room, throwing a few shirts and a pair of pants into a bag. He stubbed his toe on the dresser and cursed violently before abandoning the idea of packing and simply heading for the door.

"Wait," she called after him, startling herself with the harshness of her voice.

He stopped and asked through clenched teeth, "What?"

Biting her lip, she stared down at the floor and mumbled, "I don't want you to go."

He turned around to look at her, confusion written all over his face, "What are you talking about?"

"I don't want for you to leave," she said a little louder, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I let you walk out on me once, and I can't let that happen again."

"And, why not?" he asked, his shoulders slumping with defeat.

She sighed and closed her eyes, "Because as much as I wish this wasn't true, I still love you. I'm not ready to forgive you yet, and I still don't think that I want anything more from you than friendship. But, I can't let you leave me like this. Please, just, not again."

Tears started to slowly trickle down her cheeks, and she wiped them away, irritated by her unstable emotions; he sighed and dropped his bag in order to cross the room and take her into his arms.

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he murmured, "I'm sorry, Glinda, I really am. I didn't mean to hurt you then, and I certainly don't want to now."

She buried her face in his chest and sobbed as he held her, even though she didn't even understand why she was upset. Maybe it was the fact that she confessed her feelings for him before she had fully realized what loving him meant. He was still in love with Elphaba, and even though she knew that he felt something for her, that didn't mean it would be enough for him to ever love her the way she wanted him to. So, she simply cried and allowed him to hold her so that she at least could remember what they had once shared.


	6. Chapter 6

Fiyero paced outside of Glinda's room, casting impatient glances in the direction of her door every few minutes. He had tired of watching her work herself to death, so he had managed to convince her to join him for a private dinner. He was aware of the fact that it was an awkward situation since it was a borderline date, but they both needed to have some time together, to just talk. He had forgotten how hard it was to pretend that he was happy when he really just wanted to disappear.

Glinda's door opened, and he stopped his pacing as he said teasingly, "Finally."

"I'm only five minutes late," she replied with a smile. "I would think that this is a major improvement."

"I'm not a patient man," he said as she linked her arm through his. "You know that."

She shook her head and laughed, "Oh, I do. Now, where are you taking me?"

"To my rooms," he said promptly as they walked down a staircase.

"So soon?" she asked, feigning shock. "Why, I am a lady, Master Fiyero."

He blinked, and a memory rushed through his mind to a time when a different woman stood beside him. A laughing smile, the slightest hint of an exotic perfume…

"Fiyero?" Glinda said quietly when he paused, his eyes focused on something in the distance.

Shaking his head, he forced a smile onto his face as he looked down at Glinda, "What's wrong?"

"You were thinking about her again," she replied, taking a step back. "I knew this would be a bad idea. I'll just go."

"No, Glinda, wait," he said quickly, grabbing her hand as she tried to walk away. "I'm fine. I need you with me when the memories are too much to handle, Glinda."

"So, I'm just a distraction for you?" she snapped as she wrenched free of his grasp.

"No," he protested. "You make me remember that I have a reason to keep living."

Her face paled, and she said carefully, "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged, "I didn't want to worry you."

"Don't keep things like that a secret from me," she said, wavering in between anger and concern. "You're my friend, Fiyero. I need you here, and I need you to trust me enough to talk to me about what is going on in your head. I worry about you, regardless of what you tell me."

He smiled slightly and pulled her into a hug. As she wrapped her arms around his waist, he found himself remembering how good she felt against his body. His affection for her hadn't diminished, and she was as radiantly beautiful as the first day he had laid eyes on her. It would be so easy to convince himself to be with her. But, when he looked down at her and saw her give him a hesitant smile, he put the thought away. It would be selfish and wrong to use her as a replacement for Elphaba; he would end up destroying her, and he loved her too much to do that.

Brushing his lips against her forehead and murmured, "Come on. I still owe you dinner, and I'm interested in hearing about your visit with the ambassador from Gillikin."

She nodded her head in agreement and laced her fingers through his as they walked to his room slowly, a comfortable silence falling over the pair.


	7. Chapter 7

As he watched the spinning couples on the dance floor, Fiyero swallowed the last of his drink and put the empty glass on a nearby table. He had attempted to avoid the elaborate celebration all together, but Glinda had insisted that he participate in the Lurlinemas festivities she had arranged. After she had pleaded with for weeks, he had finally given in; he didn't have the heart to tell her that he had spent his last Lurlinemas planning his wedding to Elphaba. It was a memory he wished he could forget, even though it was one of the happiest times they had had together. He wiped his eyes and cursed the disappearing act Glinda had pulled on him several minutes earlier. Catching sight of her sophisticated green and gold dress, he set off across the ballroom.

"Dance with me?" he asked softly as he touched her arm.

She glanced up at him, "I thought you said that you didn't want to dance."

He grinned and shrugged his shoulders as he said, "And, a couple of drinks later, I've changed my mind."

"Don't embarrass me," she told him reluctantly as she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.

"Don't worry," he replied, placing a hand on her waist. "You're safe with me."

She smiled, and they began to move slowly amidst the throng of people, falling into the familiar steps. He twirled her, and as she spun back into his arms, he smiled slightly as he pulled her closer. She responded by resting her cheek against his shoulder and sighed happily.

When the music stopped, he didn't release her right away, so she glanced up at him in confusion. She started to speak, but he shook his head and tugged her gently towards an exit. She shivered involuntarily as the cold hit her exposed skin, and he wrapped an instinctive arm around her waist as he continued to lead her further into the shadowy, snow-covered garden.

"Fiyero, why are we out here?" she asked timidly, looking up at hi stern face.

He chewed his lip for a moment before saying, "Do you remember our last Lurlinemas here?"

She blinked and murmured, "Yes. We came out here to be alone. Fiyero, what do you want?"

"I want to remember," he replied softly.

He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her hesitantly. She stood there, too shocked to move, and when he didn't feel her respond, he pulled away, his face flushed with embarrassment. As he made a move to run away, she grabbed his hand, and standing on her tiptoes, she brushed her lips against his. He moved his lips slowly against hers, taking in her familiar taste and the softness of her body in his arms. He had forgotten everything they had shared before Elphaba, and his head spun with memories of the past, all mixing together until he broke the kiss. Glinda watched him as he gasped for breath, and she waited for him to calm down as she attempted to rein in her raging feelings.

"Fiyero," she said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "You aren't ready for this, and I don't think I am either. We both need more time."

"I'm sorry," he said miserably. "I hate doing this to you."  
She shook her head and told him, "Don't apologize. You haven't done anything wrong."

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he took a deep breath and nodded his head.

"I have to go back inside," she said with a slight smile. "Take as much time as you need."

He watched as she walked back to the party, the light from the ballroom enveloping her in its gentle glow as she passed inside. He started after her, but stopped. He wanted to be a part of Glinda's life again; now, the only thing that remained was to figure out where exactly he wanted to belong.


	8. Chapter 8

Fiyero looked out over the quaint garden, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers just beginning to bud. It had been a long winter, and this short vacation was a perfect way to break up the tedium of the Emerald City. Glinda had spent all of her time so wrapped up in her duties that he had hardly seen her, and as the days grew warmer, he managed to convince her to visit her parents for a few days. To be honest, he didn't miss the city; it was too gaudy and brash for his tastes, especially when the green of its buildings was compared to the freshness of the country.

He glanced to his right and smiled slightly at the sight of Glinda standing at the edge of the garden; she had thrived in her new atmosphere, and the girl he had once fallen for had reappeared. She smiled more, and they talked for hours as they relaxed by the fireplace or walked after lunch. He had never realized that he hadn't simply talked to her when they had been a couple. At first, he was so wrapped up in himself that he had simply thought of her as the best arm candy; she hadn't been offended because she saw him in the same light. It had taken a green girl to make them interested in anything other than their reflections in the mirror, and once Elphaba had disappeared, they were so caught up in their worry and in surviving their own involvement with the Wizard that they had drifted apart. He actually felt sadness over all the lost years they had spent arguing in private and smiling in public. Glinda was a fascinating woman who shared many of the same ideals Elphaba had pursued. She was so different and yet the same.

His mind floated to the memory of Elphaba. A year had passed now since she had died, and he found it was growing harder and harder to remember the details of her face. There were still times that he could remember her voice, but that was slowly fading away as well. The pain in his heart had gone from an all-consuming, burning hole to a slow ache that could be forgotten at times. There were still nights that he lay awake and thought of her. He still cried for her when the loneliness became too much.

"Fiyero?"

Glinda startled him as she walked to his side, her arms wrapped around herself against the chill of the late afternoon.

"Hey," he replied softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and drawing her closer.

She relaxed into him, her blue eyes studying him carefully. "Are you happy here?"

"I like it better than the city," he said as he smiled down at her. "Why?"

"I was just thinking about how cold my parents have been to you," she said quickly.

"I don't blame them," he told her. "They think that I'm going to break your heart again, and it would be wrong to say that they don't have a good reason to feel that way."

"I just don't want for you to feel like you have to stay," she said, her eyes flickering to gaze at the ground.

He pulled her a little closer. "I promised that I wouldn't walk out on you."

"That's not the same as wanting to stay," she replied in a harsher voice than she had intended.

"I don't think I understand what's bothering you," he said evenly as he looked down at her.

She sighed. "You stayed with me once out of a sense of duty, and you were miserable. I don't want for you to feel that way again."

His smile widened as he pressed a fond kiss into her hair and said, "I would never do that to you again. I promise. I like being with you."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said as she smiled, her eyes bright with emotion.

Suddenly, he swept her up into his arms and whirled her around, grinning as she laughed with enjoyment. Her delicate sundress floated in the air, and her soft skin was warm against his hands. He set her feet gently back onto the ground, a wave of tenderness swept over him as he tucked a strand of straying blonde hair behind her ear. She caught his hand, her cheek nuzzling against his fingers, and she smiled up at him. His breath caught in his throat, and he pulled her into his arms, pressing his face against her silky hair as she laid her cheek against his chest. After a few moments, he released her, taking her hand in his as they walked back to her parents' house.


	9. Chapter 9

**So, this is the last chapter. I've been impressed by the amount of people who have been reading and reviewing, especially since the Fiyero/Glinda pairing is definitely not popular. I'm incredibly grateful for all the support, and I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this. It's been a nice step out of my comfort zone. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Pinning her hair away from her face, Glinda studied her reflection in the mirror; two years had passed since Fiyero had re-entered her life. She had been surprised at how easily he had fit into her world again, especially considering the terms they had parted on. While even she could not gloss over the fact that he had been nearly impossible when he had come back, they had managed to settle into a comfortable place where they could rely on each other.

She would be lying if she said that she did not still love him, and there were even times that she felt he harbored some sort of romantic feelings for her; however, she dismissed such thoughts as foolish fantasies. It would be too much to ask of life to grant her the joy of having him love her. She still wished for it, though. It was hard to love a man with no hope of any return of such feelings.

Fiyero paced in his room, touching the small box in his pocket nervously. It was odd that he had been engaged twice, but had no idea how to deliver a proper proposal. His engagement to Glinda had been a complete surprise, certainly not something he had agreed to willingly, and with Elphaba, he had spent months trying to convince her to agree to the idea. It had not been the most romantic way to propose, but she had finally responded to the idea with more willingness than he could have achieved with a large ring. In fact, she had refused to accept a ring from him, but he did manage to talk her into wearing a white dress for their wedding. He smiled in fondness of the memory; there were still nights when he missed her so much that he could barely stand to keep living, but even though he loved her dearly and always would, he had found out that it was possible to love another woman as well.

He started at the sound of a knock on the door, and when Glinda stepped into the room, he grinned.

"Good morning," she said softly as he walked towards her.

"I'm glad that you're here," he replied, kissing her cheek. "I have something important that I need to tell you."

Her gentle smile disappeared immediately as she said sharply, "Is something wrong?"

He laughed. "No, Glinda, this had nothing to do with the perilous future of Oz."

"Well, what is it?" she asked impatiently.

Smiling, he said, "Glinda, for the past two years, we have worked towards the same goals. I trust you with my life, and I would give up my own for you without a second thought. I can't imagine my life without you."

"I feel like something bad is coming," she murmured, her eyes filling with tears. "Are you going to leave? Are you going to walk out on me?"

"No," he replied, unable to keep from chuckling. Taking a breath, he continued, "Glinda, I want to marry you."

She stared up at him, stunned, and he shifted nervously as a few seconds passed.

"Glinda, do you mind saying something?" he asked. "Anything?"

She shook her head. "Fiyero, I love you, but I don't want for you to feel obligated to do this. I know you still love Elphaba, and I would never want…"

Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her, pulling away to murmur, "I love you, Lady Glinda. I trust you and think of you constantly. It's not a fairytale, but I still think that we can be good for each other."

She looked up at him through her thick eyelashes, asking, "You love me?"

"More than anything," he answered with a smile, brushing his lips against hers.

"Then, yes," she said with a laugh.

He kissed her hungrily, reveling in her passion as she melted into his arms, and he knew at that moment he had received the most wondrous miracle he could imagine: a second chance at happiness.


End file.
